When you are in a car accident, it can be difficult to assess whether or not you’ve sustained a serious injury. In most cases, injuries that arise from car accidents will take hours or days to surface. There may be times when you immediately feel like something is not right, however.
It’s important to seek medical treatment immediately if you feel that something is off, especially if you are dizzy. Dizziness can be common following a car accident and may be indicative of a more serious injury such as whiplash or a concussion. Too often, people just assume that their dizziness must be a result of stress or shock. If it’s not taken seriously, however, it can progress to a fatal level.
What Is Whiplash?
Whiplash is a type of neck sprain that can result from the sudden, unnatural backward or forward motion of your neck. This type of injury can be quite common in car accidents as you lose control of your neck movements upon impact.
What is a Concussion?
Unfortunately, a concussion is usually the result of a traumatic brain injury. Warning signs of a concussion may not be evident until weeks after the accident occurred. Because of this, it’s important to know what the signs of a concussion are and to seek medical treatment immediately.
Symptoms of Whiplash or a Concussion
The following symptoms may indicate that you’ve suffered whiplash or a concussion as the result of a car accident. If you experience any of these traits, it’s important to seek medical care as soon as possible. Many people may wish to wait until they’ve determined that the symptoms are worsening or not going away on their own. However, it’s important to consider your health first because you could be suffering from a serious medical condition and do more damage than you realize by waiting to see a doctor. Some common indications of whiplash or a concussion include:
- Pain in your head, including a headache
- Stiffness or pain in your neck
- Vertigo
- A feeling of light-headedness
- Pain in your lower back
- Inability to concentrate
- Dizziness
If you have been in a car accident and you have any of the above symptoms, seek medical attention right away. It’s important to never assume that these symptoms will go away on their own or that they’re “normal.” It’s also a good idea to contact an experienced car accident lawyer, like a car accident lawyer, to help you with a personal injury claim. You may be entitled to compensation to cover your medical treatment and any damage to your personal property.